Adjustable concrete form



Nav. 13, 1923;

ADJUSTABLE EWI MOORE CONCRETE FORM Filed sept. 18, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l QH0O0 o o oOo oO I O I www@ Nov. 13 H923.

I C. F. MOORE ADJUSTABLE CONCRETE FORM Filed Sept.

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NT @Fil ADJUSTABLE CQNCREJJE FORM.

application filed September 18, 1320. Serial liTo. ll-ltt.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Crmmais F. Moons, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in `the county otf iliddlesex and State or' Massachusetts, have invented certain lmprovements in an Adjustable Concrete Form, of which the following descrip-- tion, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specilication, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several ligures.

This invention relates to forms used to supporta concrete column while the concrete is pould and subsequently during the period required :tor the concrete to s et suf- 'ciently to become self-sustaining.

As is well understood by those skilledin this art, it is now the usual practice to make the forms required for this purpose out of lumber. This practice is recognized as expensive both in labor and niaterials. That is, skilled labor is required in setting up terms ot this character, Aand while a certain part ot the linnber from which these forms are made can usually be employed in the manufacture of other forms, still the waste is very large. A further disadvantage of Ithis practice is that after the forms have been removed from they column the ridges and inequalities in the surfaces caused by Vthe variations in the thickness of the boards,

- and by the joints between the boards. must be dressed down and this dressing` or finishoperation also requires :much labor. lith view ,to` reducing the expense in making concrete columnsl of this character it has been proposed heretofore to use sheet `metal forms and such forms have been used with considerable success in making columns ol circular cross section. Such forms, however.r have never been successfully employed, so lar as l have been abley to learn, in the making of columns of rectangular cross section or other polygonal cross sectional shapes. It thecliiet object of the .present invention to devise a form of .thischaracter which shall be adjustable for a great variety .of GITOSS sectional dimensions of given cross sectional shape and with the aid of which the ,expense for labor and `materials in constructing forms of this character can be greatly reduced.

Thenature of the invention will be readily understood froml the following description when read in ,connection witli'the accompanying drawings and the novel features Aan angular strip 2.`

will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention will be herein disclosed as embodied in a` torni designed especially for the construction of columns of rectangular cross section, although it will be readily appreciated that the invention is equally applicable to forms for columns ot other polygonal cross sections Referring now to the drawings,

Figure l is a horizontal. cross sectional view through a column supported by an adjustable form constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation otf the construction shown in Fig. l; i

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the right side of the form shown in Fig. l, a part of this ligure being broken away better to illustrate the details of the construction;

VFig. is a cross sectional view on the line del, Fig. 3, looking upwardlv: and

e. v ltig. o is a cross sectional view ou the line Fig. i.

The form shown comprises four sections arranged in two pairs, the members otf each pair being duplicates of the corresponding members of the other pair. Each section supports one corner of the column and the sections are designated at A, B, C and D, respectively. Section A comprises two plates a, and a. which lie at right angles to each other and are secured rigidly together at their adjacent edges by being riveted to These two plates dcline one corner of the column. it being uuderstood that the edge formed by the intersection o'l two t'aces ot a column is coniinonly referred to as a corncix YNach ot the other sections includes similar plates se cured together in a like manner, the plates ot the section B beingl designated at Z) and 7). those of section C at c and c, and those of section D at Z and fl, respectively. Each pair` of plates defines one corner of the column, and the corresponding plates oit simblar pairs are supported in overlapping relationship and support the four vertical faces of the column. Each plate preferably consists of sheet metal of suitable thickness.V It is contemplated that rolled steel or iron plates, galvanized if desired,` will be used and each plate for most purposes need not be over one-sixteenth of an in ch in thickness.

For the purpose ol" supporting these platos lOO corners, the downwardly projecting of the members 3 and 4 are riveted to the exact duplicate of the section in their operative positions, each of lthe sections above mentioned includes truss-like Ylrame members which are vsecured together to encircle the plates, and several olf these encircling 'frames are provided on each f The trame part formed by thcselmembers lies parallel to the plate z and supports this plate. This trame section also includes three other members or bars lying parallel to the -plate e, these members being designated at S, 9 and 10, respectively, andthe two latter members being or angular cross section. Cross pieces 11, 12 and 13 riveted to these parts secure them in the desired spaced relationship, and the downwardly projecting webs ot' the angular pieces 4 and 13 are secured together by bolts 15-15, Fig. 4.

For the purpose of securing this section to the corner plates a and a, the plate a, and the corner angle piece 2 where these. parts project beyond the plate af, have a hole vpunched therein to receive a lug or extension 16 of the member 6, and a tapered key or wedge 17 is ldriven through the slot in this tongue and cooperates with the face ot the part 2 to secure this frame section-firmly to the plates a and a.

For the purpose of further bracing the flanges ends of a rod 18 and a curved rod 19 has its ends riveted respectively to the cross piece 11 and to the flange ot' the cross piece 13, this construction being best illustrated in '.lhe corcsponding part of the section D includes ihe saine iframe members as that oi" the section. A, but thcsc members are reversed and accordingly thc parts of this Alrame section are designated by the same numerals as those used l'or the corresponding parts of section A except that these numerals are primed. The section C is an A, while the section D is a duplicate of the section B.

The sections are adjustably secured together in a manner which enables them to be set up relatively to each other in various relationships depending upon the desired cross sectional dimensions ot the column to be made. For this purpose the angle menibers 3 and 4 of the section A overlap the corresponding members 3 and 4 of the section D and these members are secured together by bolts 20, 21 and 22 which enter holes formed in these parts. ltwill be seen that j ping plates together.

cach of the parts 3, 3 4' and 4 arerprovided with a, series ot holes spaced apart at regular intervals so that a great range oi adjustment is provided tor the sections A and D toward and from Veach other.

rlhe sections A and B are similarly con nected together by bells 24. That is, the parts 8 and 8, 9 and 9, 10 and 10 overlap and are provided with holes. spaced similarly to those inthe parts 3, 3 and 4, rand the bolts 24 secure construction'providing for a variation in the distance between the sections A and B similar to that provided between the sections A and D. The same provision is made for securing the section C to the sections B and D.

The overlapping edges of the 'tour pairs of plates also are preferably'secured directly together bly bolts, the plates having a series ot holes 25, Fig. 3, formed therein to receive bolts 26 the heads of which are counter-sunk into the inner surface of the plate tu A similar arrangement is provided for securing each pair or' plates together and these connections are spaced apart vertical y ot the toi-m b v the same intervals that spa-ce the 'trames apart vertically.

lt will now be appreciated that when this form has beenset up in the location in which a column is to be made the column can be poured'in the usual manner, and when the column has setl these parts together, this suihciently'to be selt- Y sustaining the form canV then beA removed simply by removingV from each frame the bolts that secure the tour sections together, and the bolts that also securethe overlap- `Whcn this-form is to be set up again it` is merely necessary to assemble the sections in the general relationship shown Yin Fie. 1 and bolt together the frame. sections A, B, C and D of each tra1ne,these sections being adjusted relatively to each other prior Vto the bolting operation to nause' the plates to enclose a space ot theV cross sectional dimensions required for the column. The overlapping plates may be secured together by the bolts 26 either bel'ore or after the trame sections are secured together.l For small columns it will not be necessary to have the encircling trames at asfrequent vertical intervals as will be required for large sections, and a greater or smaller' number of these frames may be :used as desired. It will be evident, however, that this construction reducesv very substantially the Vlabor required to set up a form preparatory to pouring the column and that it also reduces the labor required 'to `take do-wn the form after the column has set.- Furthermore, the depreciation on 'a metallic form Yot this character is very small when compared to the depreciation of wooden forms. A turther advantage of this construction isvthat the surfaces of the nished column require relatively little dressing` or nishing7 the only seams being those formed by the overlapping plates, and `these seams are much smaller and very much Jfewer in number than those toi-med by the present p 'actices Vhile lv have herein shown and described the best embodiment ot the invention otl which l am at present aware, it will readily be understood by those skilled in this art that this embodiment may be modilied in many pi'irticulars without departing from the spirit orscope of this invention.

lhat is claimed as new is:

l. An adjustable form for concrete columns of rectangular cross section. comprising lour pairs of plates, means Jfor securing; each pair together in a right angular relationship to each other to support one corner of a column, and four angular 'trame sections', one for each of said corners, each section being` secured to its respective pair ot plates, and means for adjustably securing said sections together to support the plates in position to enclose the space in which a concrete column is to be poured With said trame encircling' the plates.

2. An adjustable form for concrete colums ot' polygonal cross section comprising a plurality ot plates for supporting` the vertical faces ot a column, a truss-like trame spporting said plates and adjustable to vary the cross, sectional dimensions ot the space enclosed by Said plates, said frame comprising a plurality of trusssections eachincluding a pair of parallel bars spaced apart, and members rigidly connecting said bars together.

3. An adjustable form for concrete columns ol polygonal cross sections comprising a plurality of plates for supportingl the vertical faces ot a column, a truss-like 'trame supporting said plates and adjustable to vary the cross sectional dimensions ot 'the space enclosed by said plates, said 'frame comprising a plurality ot truss sections each including` a pair of parallel bars ot' angular cross section spaced apart, and members curing said bars rigidly together` il. An adjustable form for concrete columns of polygonal cross section comprising', in combination, a pair of plates se :.ured rigidly together and defining each corner or' a column. and a truss-like frame supporting` a plurality oi said pairs ol. plates in position to constitute a closed form for a column, the adjacent plates of each pair overlappingand serving to form the supporting surface for the respective Vertical faces of the column, said trame comprising truss corner sections having overlapping' parts adjustably secured together to vary the amount of overlap of said plates While maintainingl said corner plates in a constant relationship to each other, Whcrelrv the cross sectional dimensions ot' the column enclosed by the pla-tes may be varied,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES F. MOORE. 

